LSU’s Donovan Dent was among 20 players on the watch list for the 2027 Bob Cousy Award, highlighting the top point guards in Division I basketball, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced Monday.

Dent is a fifth-year UCLA transfer who played his first three seasons at New Mexico. He remains eligible to play this season after being granted a preliminary injunction last Tuesday.

The 6-foot-2 point guard averaged 13.3 points on 49.0% shooting from the field, 7.6 assists, 2.3 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game. Dent was an AP Honorable Mention All-American as a junior, averaging 20.4 points on 40.8% shooting from the field, 6.4 assists and 1.4 steals.

He initially retired from basketball in May, changed his mind in July and committed to coach Will Wade Aug. 21.

Dent averaged 19 points and seven assists in the three exhibition games LSU played.

After LSU’s 85-81 win over Central Florida at home Oct. 14, Dent explained why he decided to come to LSU.

"Really, just Will Wade's culture. He instills a lot of confidence in his players to let you get up and down. He's one of the best player-coaches I think in the nation. And just the atmosphere of LSU. Like, why not come to Baton Rouge."

Dent is one of seven other point guards from the Southeastern Conference on the preseason watch list for the 2027 Bob Cousy Award. The others are Missouri freshman Jason Crowe, Alabama senior Aden Holloway, Mississippi State senior Josh Hubbard, Auburn junior Tahaad Pettiford, Arkansas freshman Jordan Smith and Vanderbilt junior Tyler Tanner.

Also on the 20-player list is LSU transfer Dedan Thomas, who is now a senior at Houston.

Fans can vote in each of the three rounds, beginning Friday, to determine the finalists for the award. The watch list will be reduced to 10 candidates in February and then five in March.

Toward the end of March, the five finalists will be presented to Cousy and the Hall of Fame’s selection committees, where winners will be selected. The selection committees for the Bob Cousy Award are composed of top men’s and women’s college basketball personnel, including media members, head coaches, sports information directors and Hall of Famers.

Last year’s winner was Arkansas freshman Darius Acuff, who was later selected with the seventh pick by the Sacramento Kings in the 2026 NBA Draft.